God will work as He see's fit. [ Isaiah 55 v 8-9 ]

In Acts 12v1-2 we read that Herod had James put to death with the sword,but in the same chapter we read how Peter was arrested ,and placed under an armed guard. Instead of being put to death he is miraculously delivered ,by an angel,there are a number of lessons we can learn from this. God is sovereign,we cannot tie Him down,recently I listened to a dear brother telling of a young lad who was healed,but he also told of a young girl who died.We should not expect God to work the same in all His children's lives,but we should realise that He is working in all His children's lives.God has an individual purpose for your life and mine.Some Christians will experience persecution others wont,some will experience ill health,some wont,some will experience great success in their preaching,in that souls will be saved like Jonah, and Peter,others like Isaiah,Jeremiah,and Ezekiel will not.In all these things God will be working out His perfect will in each of His children's lives.I believe we will not die until God see's fit,He has a plan not a funeral plan but a life plan for all His children.James did suffer ,yes we cannot often prevent suffering,but we can rest in the fact that in James case and in every dear child of Gods case,it is absent from the body and present with the Lord,the cross of suffering will be followed by the the crown of glory.
A  prayer...Dear God we acknowledge that Your ways are past finding out,and so God grant us grace to simply trust in Your perfect will in Jesus name Amen.

But now [ John 13 v7]

Job was the man who had everything, and lost everything ,in chapter 29 he goes over the life he had,the good he did,and the respect he was shown.Then we move into chapter 30,which opens with these words,but now,and he goes on to say how things had changed, he is now  held with disdain.I wonder are you in a but now moment?,the nature of life is one of change,and it is not always for the better.The first thought that came to me was that of change,diamonds may be forever,but most things are prone to change, I am not the man physically I once was,people can loose everything in a moment,just like Job. First of all what he experienced was not a punishment for something he did,because he was a godly man,who cared for his family,cared for those who where suffering,and one who genuinely feared God.As he considered his prosperity, he said to himself,surely I will die surrounded by my family after a long good life[29v18]. That is what of us most would like,but like Job we discover a but now experience,it may not be as severe as what Job experienced,but it can be for us a severe trial. What is the answer?well if we are in a but now experience, remember Job did not give up in his faith walk, and God did not give up on Job.And in this very dark but now experience,he declares by faith,that God knew all he was going through,and He would use this trial to perfect him[23 v10],in other words he would come out of this experience a better person.
A  prayer...../ Dear God in this changeable world help us to not give up ,when we experience a but now moment, help us to trust in You,even though we are suffering,and don't understand,in Jesus name Amen/

Let in the Light. [ John 8 v12 ]

As I am first up in the morning I pull the curtains over,in order to let the light in,we are not meant to live in darkness,we need the sunshine if we don't,we would suffer,the sunlight provides vitiam D. God made us children of light,many people from this country go to live in sunny Spain,our summers sometimes don't provide much sun,some but not a lot. Although God made us to be children of light,when it comes to choosing the light ,and what we mean by this mankind has bent towards the darkness,consider how could anybody choose a Hitler,or a Stalin, yet they did,how on earth did people in Cambodia,Rwanda ,seek to commit genocide?there are so many examples,and the greatest of this ,was manifested when the Creator of this world became and dwelt among us,only to be rejected.We live in a world that so often chooses darkness rather than light ,but God the God of love ,who in creation said let their be light,has given us a chance,to move from darkness to light ,when He sent His son Jesus into this world. Jesus said,I am the light of the world,he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.[John 8 v12 ]
A prayer..../Dear God we praise You that we  need not walk in darkness,the darkness of habits that are destroying us,the darkness of life styles that are unfulling,the darkness that will only lead us into a greater darkness,we thank you there is hope through Jesus Your son Amen /

Suffering. [1 Peter 3 v18 ]

I have just started to read that wonderful and challenging book of Job ,and as thought about it ,I found myself pray,Lord I don't like suffering,I  don't want to suffer. Of course I am just echoing what most of us feel,who wants to suffer?, no one, Christ did not want to suffer, but because of Love He was prepared to suffer. None of us want to suffer ,very few of us go the dentist chair,or to the operating theatre with a smile on our faces. To be told you have a serious illness does not make us happy,seeing our children go without food,or medicine,no suffering is no joke. Yet if Christ had not suffered we would have been lost eternally,His suffering saved us from suffering,He suffered for our sin, that we would not suffer for our sin .Think of what that means for us today,sins forgiven, the power of Satan and sin broken in our lives, He was the only one who could save us from the terrible eternal suffering we would have had to endure.From heaven He came with a mission in mind,to tread a pathway of suffering,that  reached a climax on a cross.Isaiah puts it like this,  /He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities,the chastisement of our peace was laid upon Him.[Isaiah 53 v5] ,no one would want such suffering,but as I said earlier ,love won the day, a love for you and a love for me .
A prayer...../Thank You Father that Your dear son Jesus suffered a dreadful yet glorious death for our salvation.Amen /
[I   will return to my blog on Sunday June 30th,  every blessing, Bill]

Tears. [ Romans 12 v15 ]

Let us consider tears,I watched a man cry yesterday,some think it is not manly to cry, but I read how Jesus wept [John 11v35] Tears are part of our humanity,as I grow older I am more inclined to shed tears,is that because my heart is more softer?.  I sometimes shed tears when I pray ,maybe not enough, it is amazing how hard some people can be,who have very little concern for the pain of others.People do dreadful things, at this time in our country,many celebrities are being charged with sexual offences,against children and others.They never appear to have any concern for what they have done,I heard a murderer of children trying to minimise his crimes, that of torturing and murdering children.,no tears,no tears . Behind so many closed doors,and hidden places ,many people are shedding tears,because of what others have and are doing to them,tears of pain,.For the child of God they have the consolation of knowing that one day all tears will be wiped away by the hand of  their Saviour.As you come into contact with people, remember behind the smile,the laughter there could be tears of pain,may God by His Spirit make us sensitive, to the hidden pain others are carrying.
A prayer..../Dear God soften our hearts to the pain others are suffering, and help us not to be ashamed to shed a tear,in the name of Him who was a man of sorrows ,we ask this Amen/

Tears. [ Psalm 126 v 5-6 ]

As I was out walking I noticed on the ground a  newspaper with  these words printed on it,/My mothers tears helped me to glory/I think,  it was in relation to sport,but I immediately,thought of a spiritual application.Consider how many sons/daughters have been brought to glory ,by the prayers, watered by the tears of a godly mother. In Psalm 56v8 David prays,/put Thou my tears into Thy bottle,are they not in Thy book/,seemingly there were such things as tear bottles,were a person who was suffering would have their tears caught in a bottle,that would be kept as a memorial.All prayers are not mentioned immediately,but David cries literally unto God to bear in mind his tearful prayers, and to answer. Many a  mother has had to wait for their prayers to be answered,it may have seemed that no answer was forthcoming,but God has not forgotten,not so. Consider the words of Psalm 126v 5-6./They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.He that goeth forth and weepeth,bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him./Remember as one person has said,/Tears over lost souls are never lost/,be they for your children ,neighbours or whoever.There is a certainty in those words of David, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing,so don't weep tears of despair,weep tears as you pray of hope.
A  prayer..../ Dear God remember our tearful prayers for the lost especially those who are nearest and dearest to us in Jesus name Amen /

God is in control. [ Esther 6 v 1-14]

One of the books in the Bible I find fascinating is the book of Esther,it is a book that emphasises the providence of God,look for Gods providence even in the severest trials.To those involved in the events of this book it was a severe trial,the Jewish nation was going to be wiped out. Haman felt very grieved at a Jew called Mordecai,and because of that one thing,he was prepared to have a whole people wiped out,the very people in which the Messiah would come,Satan I believe was behind this,but God is sovereign not Satan,and in His providence He would turn every intentional evil act around,and bring about a wonderful deliverance.My study Bible declares,/Because God is in control of history,He is never frustrated by any turn of events or human action.He is able to save us from the evil of this world, and deliver us from sin and death/.Are you under threat of some sort?,God is more than able to turn events around,fear not the roaring of the enemy,of those who appear to be in control,and look to your God,who is in control,doubt not His power to deliver,you are the apple of  His eye ,His eye is upon you for good,not a hair of your head will perish.Remember behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face,read the book of Esther and see God providentially working, now look at your situation,no look beyond your situation to the God of Esther,and trust Him.
A prayer...../Almighty God we look to You to undertake for us Your children,to thwart the enemy of our souls,to work all things for our good,to deliver us,and make a way out of our situation, in Jesus Name Amen /